Title: Classic Pacific Jazz Albums
Artist: Jazz Crusaders
Label: Enlightenment
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS
UPC: 823564840000
Genre: Jazz

Formed in 1956 by Joe Sample (piano), Stix Hooper (drums), Wilton Felder (saxophone), and Wayne Henderson (trombone) - buddies from an early age out of Houston, Texas - The Jazz Crusaders had all been schooled in local centres of prayer. They first performed together at one of the city's Creole churches, where they began to define their sound. The blend of Jazz, Blues and Soul which the young quartet developed throughout this formative period remained their default style during their early career. Having tried a number of short-lived names such as The Swingsters and The Nite Hawks, the founding members relocated to Los Angeles. On arrival, they stayed with family and friends, often sharing one room between them with a couple of mattresses on the floor. After changing their name to The Jazz Crusaders in 1961 (a nod to jazz great Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers), the group signed with Pacific Jazz Records, a label with whom they would remain throughout the 1960s. Fronted by a two man horn section featuring trombone and tenor sax, the group's sound was by now rooted in hard bop, with a nod still to R&B and soul. As The Jazz Crusaders, they released over a dozen albums before re-christening themselves The Crusaders in 1971, under which moniker they released a string of further albums in the jazz-fusion style, popular during the 1970s. This four disc boxset brings together the first eight albums by the Jazz Crusaders; all recorded for Pacific Jazz Records during the first half of the 1960s. Still held in huge esteem by Jazz critics and enthusiasts alike, this 4 CD collection, featuring over 5 hours of superb jazz, serves as both an ideal introduction to the Jazz Crusaders music, and as a welcome reminder of the group's majesty, musicianship and style for those already well versed.

Tracks:
1.1 The Geek
1.2 M. J. S. Funk
1.3 That's It
1.4 Freedom Sound
1.5 Theme from 'Exodus'
1.6 Coon
1.7 M. J. S. Funk (Alt. Version)
1.8 Coon (Alt. Version)
1.9 Big Hunk of Funk
1.10 Tonight
1.11 507 Neyland
1.12 Till All Ends
1.13 Tortoise and the Hare
1.14 In a Dream
1.15 Sinnin' Sam
1.16 Song of India
1.17 The Young Rabbits
2.1 Congolese Sermon
2.2 Cathy's Dilemma
2.3 Blues for Ramona
2.4 Weather Beat
2.5 Scandalizing
2.6 Appointment in Ghana
2.7 Deacon Brown
2.8 Turkish Black
2.9 Brahms Lullaby
2.10 Brother Bernard
2.11 Boopie
2.12 Tough Talk
2.13 No Name Samba
2.14 Lazy Canary
2.15 Lonely Horn
3.1 On Broadway
3.2 Green Back Dollar
3.3 Close Shave
3.4 Free Sample
3.5 Mr Sandman
3.6 Heat Wave
3.7 Sassy
3.8 Theme from 'The L Shaped Room'
3.9 Some Samba
3.10 Stix March
3.11 Purple Onion
3.12 Spanish Castles
3.13 Blues for Yna Yna
3.14 Damascus
3.15 3-4 for God and Co
3.16 Bluesette
3.17 Big City
3.18 This Here
3.19 Jitterbug Waltz
3.20 All Blues
3.21 Jazz Waltz
4.1 Long John
4.2 Robbin's Nest
4.3 You Are Only Sometimes Rain
4.4 Out Back
4.5 Bachafillen
4.6 I'll Remember Tomorrow
4.7 Polka Dots and Moonbeams
4.8 Sweetwater
4.9 The Thing
4.10 Sunset in Mountains
4.11 While the City Sleeps
4.12 White Cobra
4.13 New Time Shuffle
4.14 Para Mi Espoza
4.15 Soul Kosher

Audio Sample:
All soundclips are provided by Tidal and are for illustrative purposes only. For some releases, the tracks listed may not accurately represent the tracks on the physical release.